Merry Christmas Advent Saints and Friends,
​ “Good morning, boys and girls!” “Good morning, Pastor Harold!” “Pastor Harold, since you have been sharing with us what Advent is about, we now have an Advent wreath with candles at home!” “We do, too!” “That’s great to hear, kids. Would you like to hear more about why we celebrate Advent?” “Yes, Pastor Harold!” “Raise your hand if you remember what the first candle in the wreath reminds us of.” “Mrs. Gladys, it looks like everyone here today has raised their hand!” “Yes, Pastor Harold. Many of the kids even wrote down the verses you gave us and memorized them.” “Betty, would you like to tell us what the first candle reminds us about Jesus?” “Yes, Pastor Harold. The first candle reminds us of the confident ‘hope’ that we have in Jesus.” “Thank you, Betty. Who has memorized one of the verses that tells us about this fabulous hope that Jesus gives us?” “I know, Pastor Harold!” “I do, too!” “Okay, boys. If you know the same verse, say it together.” “Hebrews 10:23, ‘Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful!’” “Excellent, boys!”
“Pastor Harold!” “Yes, Bobby.” “Because Jesus has already fulfilled so many of the promises that we read about in the Bible, I think we can trust Him to keep His word to fulfill all of them!” “Spot on, Bobby! I know He will. Who would like to tell us what the second candle in the wreath reminds us about Jesus?” “I would like to!” “Yes, Eddy.” “The second candle reminds us of the great love that Jesus has for each person in the world.” “That is so true, Eddy. Who knows a verse about God’s marvelous love for us? Mrs. Gladys, everyone’s hand went up so quickly I don’t know who to call on!” “Class, let’s all tell Pastor Harold the verse we memorized about God’s love for us. 1-2-3, John 3:16, ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!’” “Outstanding, class!”
​“Children, today, Pastor Harold is going to share with us what the third candle in the Advent wreath represents.” “Yea!”
​“Thank you, Mrs. Gladys. Let’s do that now, class. This week of Advent, we celebrate God’s great gift of ‘Joy’ to us. Like His gifts of hope and love, God’s gift of ‘joy’ comes from Jesus. He said His joy will remain in us and that our joy may be full!” John 15:11 “Pastor Harold.” “Yes, Janie.” “Jesus is my Savior, but I am not always happy. Like when my kitty, Princess, went to heaven, I was very sad.” “When something like that happens, Janie, it is natural for us to feel sad. Just as when something good happens, we feel happy. That is how we respond to our circumstances that often change from day to day. But the joy that comes from Jesus is based on Jesus, Who never changes. I call it, ‘Jesus-Joy.’ His joy gives us peace and strength even when we have trouble and sorrow in this world. A verse I have in my heart for those times is Nehemiah 8:10, ‘The ‘joy of the Lord’ is your strength.’” “Pastor Harold, I have seen a couple people in church who don’t seem to have the joy of Jesus. Did they lose His joy?” “That is a good question, Daniel. Jesus said the joy in our life that He gives us would be ‘full’. That word means ‘over-flowing.’ People should see the joy of Jesus in our life, just as they should see His love in our life. The joy of Jesus is the joy that springs up in our hearts because of our relationship with the Lord. If we neglect our relationship by not spending time with Him in prayer, nor reading or listening to His Word, His special joy will be replaced by what we find more important than Jesus. The Psalmist said, ‘In Your presence is fullness of joy.’ Psalm 16:11 Throughout the day, we can stay in His presence by talking to Him, and praising Him with words and songs. Spending time with Jesus increases our capacity for His blessed joy in our lives. Of course, knowing the presence of the Lord Jesus begins by coming to Him for the first time. Telling Him from your heart, ‘Thank You, Jesus, for loving me. Thank You for paying for all the wrong things I have said and done in my life when You died in my place and rose again. Fill me with Your special joy and help me to spend time with You every day, Amen.’ Okay, boys and girls! This week we put the third candle in place – the candle of Joy!” “Yea!”